Dopo cena, Marta sparecchia la tavola e sciacqua i bicchieri nel lavello.

In Italian, dopo cena is a very common fixed expression meaning after dinner in a general sense, just like after lunch or after school in English.

Using dopo la cena is possible, but it usually sounds more specific, as if you mean after the dinner or a particular meal/event.

So:

• dopo cena = after dinner, in general
• dopo la cena = after the dinner, more specific

Sparecchia comes from the verb sparecchiare, which means to clear the table.

It is the opposite of apparecchiare, which means to set the table.

So:

• apparecchiare la tavola = to set the table
• sparecchiare la tavola = to clear the table

In this sentence, Marta finishes eating and then removes the dishes, glasses, etc. from the table.

Italian often includes the direct object where English might leave it understood.

• sparecchiare la tavola = to clear the table

You may sometimes hear just sparecchiare if the context is obvious, but sparecchiare la tavola is a very normal full expression.

Here, la tavola is the thing being cleared.

They are in the present tense, third person singular.

The subject is Marta, so the verbs take the she form:

• Marta sparecchia
• Marta sciacqua

This present tense can describe:

• a habitual action: something Marta usually does
• a simple present narration: what Marta does

Italian usually does not need subject pronouns unless you want emphasis or contrast.

The verb ending already tells you the person, and the subject Marta is explicitly stated anyway.

So Italian prefers:

• Marta sparecchia la tavola e sciacqua i bicchieri

rather than:

• Marta sparecchia la tavola e lei sciacqua i bicchieri

Adding lei here would sound unnecessary unless you were contrasting Marta with someone else.

Sciacqua comes from sciacquare, which means to rinse.

That is a bit different from lavare, which means to wash.

So:

• lavare i bicchieri = to wash the glasses
• sciacquare i bicchieri = to rinse the glasses

In many kitchen contexts, rinsing is a lighter action than washing.

Italian usually uses the definite article much more often than English.

So where English says:

• she rinses glasses

Italian often prefers:

• sciacqua i bicchieri

Here i means the, and bicchieri means glasses.

Even though English might omit the, Italian normally includes it.

Nel is a contraction of:

• in + il = nel

So:

• nel lavello = in the sink

Lavello means sink, especially a kitchen sink.

Both can relate to a sink, but they are used a bit differently.

• lavello usually means a kitchen sink
• lavabo often refers to a bathroom sink or washbasin

Since the sentence is about rinsing glasses, lavello is the natural word here.

Yes, both are possible.

Dopo cena is a time expression, and Italian is flexible about where to place it.

• Dopo cena, Marta sparecchia la tavola...
• Marta, dopo cena, sparecchia la tavola...

Starting with Dopo cena puts the time first and gives the sentence a natural flow: first the time, then the action.

Because both verbs have the same subject: Marta.

Italian, like English, often avoids repeating the subject when it is the same:

• Marta sparecchia la tavola e sciacqua i bicchieri

This means:

• Marta clears the table and rinses the glasses

The second verb automatically still refers to Marta.

Sciacqua is pronounced approximately like SHAH-kwah.

A few helpful points:

• sci before a/o/u gives a sh sound
• cq here contributes to the kw sound in acqua
• the stress is on the first syllable: SCIAC-qua

It can look tricky, but it is a very common Italian sound pattern.

They are related, but not always identical in use.

• tavolo = table
• tavola = table, but also often used in expressions connected with eating

In the phrase sparecchiare la tavola, Italian normally uses tavola, because it refers to the table as it is set for a meal.

So while both words can mean table, la tavola is especially natural in dining expressions.